APhA Member News
APhA staff
A Minute with...
Rachel Barhorst, PharmD, BCACP, BC–ADM
Director of Clinical Pharmacy Services,
Family Health Services of Darke County, Greenville, OH
Member since 2012
When I started clinical services at my federally qualified health center in 2015, I had no clue where to start! I was not residency trained and had not been previously exposed to clinical pharmacy services. I only knew that our patients could benefit from the enhanced value a pharmacist brings to the care team. APhA provided me with the resources, information, and networking I needed to implement them and grow a thriving clinical pharmacy team!”
How has APhA helped you establish meaningful connections?
The connections I have made through APhA go all the way back to my college days when I was president of my APhA–ASP Chapter. This helped me realize the value of networking and the investment of professional organizations. When I log onto pharmacist.com or attend the APhA Annual Meeting & Exposition, I feel like I’m at home. Through the ENGAGE platform and special interest groups, I have continued to grow these connections. When I have a question or want to look into expanding services, I know that I have a community I can reach out to.
How does APhA help you thrive in your everyday practice?
APhA really helps keep me up to date with the current pulse of pharmacy. The resources of Pharmacy Today and the ENGAGE platform keep me informed of different innovative ideas that pharmacists have had and other medical headlines that guide my practice. APhA does a great job at keeping us up to date without hours of research!
What excites you about the profession of pharmacy?
I love the diversity of pharmacy! Every day is different and rewarding in its own way. I also love the value we bring to patient care. Pharmacists provide a unique perspective and skillset to the care team. There is nothing better than making a change in therapy that is so much more than a medication change to the patient! It could be the avoidance of an adverse effect, a decrease in cost, or providing them with the education they need to confidently control their disease state. At the end of the day, that’s why we all do what we do!
Can you share a meaningful story about a time you interacted with a patient? Perhaps a time you felt like you really made a difference for them?
I have one patient who found navigating the health care system very difficult. She has diabetes, depression, and a whole slew of other health conditions. We worked together and slowly have been working through improving her health. I simplified her insulin regimen, provided her with a continuous glucose monitor (CGM), and packaged her medications for her. Since her adherence is improving, so is her depression. She is getting out of bed more often, cooking meals, and becoming more mobile.
The CGM alarms I set remind her to take her insulin and help guide her nutrition choices. Although her health is still far from perfect, her quality of life is so much improved. Even more importantly, she now feels that she has the tools she needs to manage her health! ■
Learn
Enroll in a pharmacy-based OTC hearing aids advanced training program
APhA offers a 3-hour, competency-based, interprofessional advanced training program on OTC hearing aids that was developed by a pharmacist and audiologist at the University of Pittsburgh. Set to equip pharmacists in the community setting with the competence to recognize, screen, intervene, and refer patients with hearing loss effectively, this course is a one-of-a-kind opportunity to collaborate with hearing health care professionals and educate your patients about OTC hearing devices sold at the pharmacy. This eLearning course is suited for both pharmacists and student pharmacists alike.
Visit apha.us/PharmHearingAids to learn more about enrollment. ■
Practice
Increase vaccine access with new provider and patient mapping tools
In collaboration with the University of Pittsburgh and funded through a grant from CDC, APhA recently launched two interactive map tools that are designed to increase vaccine access across the country. These maps are tailored to assist both health care providers and patients in identifying nearby pharmacy vaccination locations, particularly in medically underserved areas. Users can search by address or zip code and access critical information such as walk-in availability, handicap accessibility, hours of operation, and spoken languages. The maps also feature filters for state, county, and specific community health needs. For patients, the map offers easy navigation to pharmacies through Google Maps, Apple Maps, or Waze, ensuring timely and accessible vaccine services for all. Both maps are accessible by visiting apha.us/VaccineConfident, the APhA Vaccine Confident homepage. ■
Well-being
The Well-Being Index for Pharmacy Personnel is a research-validated tool developed by the Mayo Clinic and offered to the entire pharmacy community by APhA.
In just a few minutes, this online tool measures the nine dimensions of distress. By answering a couple quick questions, you will receive personal scores and tailored resources to help address key areas such as stress, fatigue, burnout, and anxiety.
Do not wait. Your well-being is worth it, and APhA is here to support you every step of the way. Visit www.pharmacist.com/WBI to learn more. ■
Did you know?
HIV prevention
More than 1.2 million people across the United States are living with HIV, and 13% of those people don’t know that they have it. In 2021, there were over 30,000 new HIV diagnoses in the United States.
APhA’s certificate training program, Pharmacy-Based HIV Prevention Services, prepares pharmacists to provide comprehensive sexual wellness and HIV prevention care. The program reviews pharmacology principles, demonstrates the importance of communicating with your patients with cultural humility, and emphasizes the importance of creating a safe environment for providing PrEP and PEP services.
Visit www.pharmacist.com/Education/Certificate-Training-Programs to enroll today! ■